German Gummies, Small-Batch Marshmallows, and More Unique Valentine’s Candy

BonBon isn’t a secret anymore; the Swedish candy brand has a brick-and-mortar shop in Sag Harbor, after all. But its sweet-and-sour fish are still some of the best around, and this bundle of seven original flavors comes in a lovely pink tin that adds to the charm.

For a slightly more niche Swedish fish, I love the brand Kolsvart, which is sold at the Park Slope Food Coop and Alison Roman’s pantry-essentials shop,First Bloom. My favorite flavors are the raspberry and blackcurrant fish, but there are also several very good sours. This multipack would make a great gift.

Even though you canbuy Sockerbit at Target, it still has an air of the unordinary. I recently tried a sampler pack and loved all of the candies so much that I squirreled them away in a drawer so my husband wouldn’t find them. Thesour candieshave my ideal level of tartness that doesn’t shock so much as it pleasantly burns. And themarshmallow mixis like chomping a delicious cloud.

I found out about these Lisa Frank–looking German gummy candies when influencer and comedianJake Shanelisted them as something he can’t live without. I haven’t tried them yet, but according to Shane they “just taste higher quality” and have become his household’s favorite candy.

This Danish company has one of the best names of any candy brand I have seen. Hey Yum fruit gummies are cute, organic, and made with real fruit. This combo pack lets you try all four flavors: Sour Flower, Love Spring, Triassic Garden, and Magic Forest.

Lakrids chocolate-covered licorice balls are also made in Denmark and come ina surprising lineup of flavors. You can choose from the very Valentine’s Day–appropriateStrawberries & Creamor branch out and tryPeach,Elderflower, orFrozen Mint.

Strategist senior writer Lauren Ro likes theSeeded Sensation chocolate barfrom Compartés that’s made with crunchy sunflower seeds, pepitas, and sesame seeds. And senior writer Emma Wartzman included the brand’s stunning heart-shaped box of chocolates in herguide to the best food gifts for Valentine’s Day. I’m also a fan of the brand and would love to receive one of itsluxurious Valentine’s Day assortments; I think I’d go for the onefilled with design-y truffles. I am also very drawn to the moreminimal pink box filled with chocolate-dipped fruits.

Strategist writer Dominique Pariso told me about Koho’s exquisite chocolate bonbons that come in dreamy color and flavor combinations like Macadamia Blossom Honey Caramel and Mango Ginger Caramel.

“Functional” chocolates are definitely not a traditional Valentine’s Day gift. However, these Alice mushroom chocolates are silky smooth and decadent but not too sweet. I love popping a square of the focus chocolate around 4 p.m. when I’m starting to drag.

I came across these elegant chocolate bars while perusing the shelves ofHappier Groceryin lower Manhattan. The company is Belgian and dates back to 1845, so it’s had plenty of time to refine its craft. So far I have tried theDark Orange chocolateand theHimalayan Salt dark chocolate, but I would love to taste-test a few more flavors like theButter Biscuitand the Pretzel milk chocolate.

Maeve’s chocolate truffle bars, a favorite of Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio, come in a bunch of bold flavors like Moon Rocks, Hungry Blackberry, and Mexican Hot Chocolate. The packaging is fun and funky, too. This assortment comes with a dozen bars thatshouldlast your Valentine at least a few weeks.

I used to think of marshmallows as one thing that you buy at the grocery store to make s’mores. Then I discovered these handmade mallows that are dotted with specks of vanilla bean, and a whole new universe opened up for me. They come in other flavors, too, likeCocoa DippedandS’more Speckled(with a swirl of chocolate and a dusting of graham-cracker crumbs).

The Japanese snack boutique Bokksu is an excellent place to shop for unique edible gifts. This set of yuzu- and white-chocolate-infused freeze-dried fruit bites is a great alternative to familiar chocolate-covered strawberries.

If your crush is a coffee lover — or enjoys an occasional espresso martini —Pocket Coffeeis a fantastic gift. The packaging may be nostalgic and even a little kitschy. But the candy itself is scrumptious. According to Strategist contributor Caroline Weaver, the anatomy of each piece is “a dark-chocolate shell, with an interior coated in sugar, filled with slightly sweetened espresso.”

It may be an everyday grocery store to some but from where I sit, Erewhon is a luxury brand. So I think it’d make sense to give your loved ones some of its chocolate-covered nuts. (I am also very curious about thechocolate almond biscotti.) And once they’re done eating, the status-y jar can be reused for all sorts of things.